Posted: | February 1, 2017 11:00 AM |
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From: | Representative Tina M. Davis |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Legislation Providing for an Increase of Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Service Loan Amounts for Facilities and New and Used Apparatus |
In the near future, I will be re-introducing legislation from last session (House Bill 1922) that would amend Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by increasing the maximum available loan amounts provided for under the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program (VLAP) for the upgrading of facilities and the purchase of new and used apparatus. This legislation would increase the available loan amounts for the establishment or modernization of facilities and the purchasing of new or used apparatus up to a maximum amount of $500,000 each. These increases would provide additional assistance to the Commonwealth’s volunteer fire companies, ambulance services, and rescue squads and provide these volunteer organizations with the ability to take out higher loans to buy vital equipment or upgrade their facilities. Currently, volunteer fire companies and ambulance services apply for necessary loans through VLAP and are approved up to certain limits. These vital organizations are looking to modernize or establish facilities, or buy new and used equipment, but are restrained by the current loan limits, which the General Assembly voted to increase in 2013, per Act 129. The current available loan amounts are as follows:
Volunteer fire companies, ambulance services, and emergency squads provide essential services to Pennsylvania’s residents and deserve our continued support. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB501